Why is insertion into my tree faster on sorted input than random input?

Question

Now I\'ve always heard binary search trees are faster to build from randomly selected data than ordered data, simply because ordered data requires explicit rebalancing to keep t

Answer 1

I ran your code, and I think it has to do with the number of rotations. During ordered input, the number of rotations are optimal, and the tree will never have to rotate back.

During random input the tree will have to perform more rotations, because it may have to rotate back and forth.

To really find out, I would have to add counters for the numbers of left and right rotations for each run. You can probably do this yourself.

UPDATE:

I put breakpoints on rotateleft and rotateright. During ordered input rotateright is never used. During random input, both are hit, and it seems to me that they are used more frequently.

UPDATE 2:

I added some output to the 50 item ordered run (substituting with integers for clarity), to learn more:

TimeIt(50, OrderedInsert)
LastValue = 0, Top.Value = 0, Right.Count = 0, Left.Count = 0
RotateLeft @value=0
LastValue = 1, Top.Value = 1, Right.Count = 0, Left.Count = 1
LastValue = 2, Top.Value = 1, Right.Count = 1, Left.Count = 1
LastValue = 3, Top.Value = 1, Right.Count = 2, Left.Count = 1
RotateLeft @value=3
RotateLeft @value=2
RotateLeft @value=1
LastValue = 4, Top.Value = 4, Right.Count = 0, Left.Count = 4
LastValue = 5, Top.Value = 4, Right.Count = 1, Left.Count = 4
LastValue = 6, Top.Value = 4, Right.Count = 2, Left.Count = 4
RotateLeft @value=6
LastValue = 7, Top.Value = 4, Right.Count = 3, Left.Count = 4
LastValue = 8, Top.Value = 4, Right.Count = 4, Left.Count = 4
RotateLeft @value=8
RotateLeft @value=7
LastValue = 9, Top.Value = 4, Right.Count = 5, Left.Count = 4
LastValue = 10, Top.Value = 4, Right.Count = 6, Left.Count = 4
RotateLeft @value=10
RotateLeft @value=9
RotateLeft @value=5
RotateLeft @value=4
LastValue = 11, Top.Value = 11, Right.Count = 0, Left.Count = 11
LastValue = 12, Top.Value = 11, Right.Count = 1, Left.Count = 11
RotateLeft @value=12
LastValue = 13, Top.Value = 11, Right.Count = 2, Left.Count = 11
RotateLeft @value=13
LastValue = 14, Top.Value = 11, Right.Count = 3, Left.Count = 11
LastValue = 15, Top.Value = 11, Right.Count = 4, Left.Count = 11
RotateLeft @value=15
RotateLeft @value=14
LastValue = 16, Top.Value = 11, Right.Count = 5, Left.Count = 11
LastValue = 17, Top.Value = 11, Right.Count = 6, Left.Count = 11
RotateLeft @value=17
LastValue = 18, Top.Value = 11, Right.Count = 7, Left.Count = 11
LastValue = 19, Top.Value = 11, Right.Count = 8, Left.Count = 11
RotateLeft @value=19
LastValue = 20, Top.Value = 11, Right.Count = 9, Left.Count = 11
LastValue = 21, Top.Value = 11, Right.Count = 10, Left.Count = 11
RotateLeft @value=21
LastValue = 22, Top.Value = 11, Right.Count = 11, Left.Count = 11
RotateLeft @value=22
RotateLeft @value=20
RotateLeft @value=18
LastValue = 23, Top.Value = 11, Right.Count = 12, Left.Count = 11
LastValue = 24, Top.Value = 11, Right.Count = 13, Left.Count = 11
LastValue = 25, Top.Value = 11, Right.Count = 14, Left.Count = 11
RotateLeft @value=25
RotateLeft @value=24
LastValue = 26, Top.Value = 11, Right.Count = 15, Left.Count = 11
LastValue = 27, Top.Value = 11, Right.Count = 16, Left.Count = 11
RotateLeft @value=27
LastValue = 28, Top.Value = 11, Right.Count = 17, Left.Count = 11
RotateLeft @value=28
RotateLeft @value=26
RotateLeft @value=23
RotateLeft @value=16
RotateLeft @value=11
LastValue = 29, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 0, Left.Count = 29
LastValue = 30, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 1, Left.Count = 29
LastValue = 31, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 2, Left.Count = 29
LastValue = 32, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 3, Left.Count = 29
RotateLeft @value=32
RotateLeft @value=31
LastValue = 33, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 4, Left.Count = 29
RotateLeft @value=33
RotateLeft @value=30
LastValue = 34, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 5, Left.Count = 29
RotateLeft @value=34
LastValue = 35, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 6, Left.Count = 29
LastValue = 36, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 7, Left.Count = 29
LastValue = 37, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 8, Left.Count = 29
RotateLeft @value=37
LastValue = 38, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 9, Left.Count = 29
LastValue = 39, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 10, Left.Count = 29
RotateLeft @value=39
LastValue = 40, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 11, Left.Count = 29
RotateLeft @value=40
RotateLeft @value=38
RotateLeft @value=36
LastValue = 41, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 12, Left.Count = 29
LastValue = 42, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 13, Left.Count = 29
RotateLeft @value=42
LastValue = 43, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 14, Left.Count = 29
LastValue = 44, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 15, Left.Count = 29
RotateLeft @value=44
LastValue = 45, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 16, Left.Count = 29
LastValue = 46, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 17, Left.Count = 29
RotateLeft @value=46
RotateLeft @value=45
LastValue = 47, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 18, Left.Count = 29
LastValue = 48, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 19, Left.Count = 29
LastValue = 49, Top.Value = 29, Right.Count = 20, Left.Count = 29

The ordered items always gets added to the right side of the tree, naturally. When the right side gets bigger than the left, a rotateleft happens. Rotateright never happens. A new top node is selected roughly every time the tree doubles. The randomness of the priority value jitters it a little, so it goes 0, 1, 4, 11, 29 in this run.

A random run reveals something interesting:

TimeIt(50, RandomInsert)
LastValue = 0,748661640914465, Top.Value = 0,748661640914465, Right.Count = 0, Left.Count = 0
LastValue = 0,669427539533669, Top.Value = 0,748661640914465, Right.Count = 0, Left.Count = 1
RotateRight @value=0,669427539533669
LastValue = 0,318363281115127, Top.Value = 0,748661640914465, Right.Count = 0, Left.Count = 2
RotateRight @value=0,669427539533669
LastValue = 0,33133987678743, Top.Value = 0,748661640914465, Right.Count = 0, Left.Count = 3
RotateLeft @value=0,748661640914465
LastValue = 0,955126694382693, Top.Value = 0,955126694382693, Right.Count = 0, Left.Count = 4
RotateRight @value=0,669427539533669
RotateLeft @value=0,33133987678743
RotateLeft @value=0,318363281115127
RotateRight @value=0,748661640914465
RotateRight @value=0,955126694382693
LastValue = 0,641024029180884, Top.Value = 0,641024029180884, Right.Count = 3, Left.Count = 2
LastValue = 0,20709771951991, Top.Value = 0,641024029180884, Right.Count = 3, Left.Count = 3
LastValue = 0,830862050331599, Top.Value = 0,641024029180884, Right.Count = 4, Left.Count = 3
RotateRight @value=0,20709771951991
RotateRight @value=0,318363281115127
LastValue = 0,203250563798123, Top.Value = 0,641024029180884, Right.Count = 4, Left.Count = 4
RotateLeft @value=0,669427539533669
RotateRight @value=0,748661640914465
RotateRight @value=0,955126694382693
LastValue = 0,701743399585478, Top.Value = 0,641024029180884, Right.Count = 5, Left.Count = 4
RotateLeft @value=0,669427539533669
RotateRight @value=0,701743399585478
RotateLeft @value=0,641024029180884
LastValue = 0,675667521858433, Top.Value = 0,675667521858433, Right.Count = 4, Left.Count = 6
RotateLeft @value=0,33133987678743
RotateLeft @value=0,318363281115127
RotateLeft @value=0,203250563798123
LastValue = 0,531275219531392, Top.Value = 0,675667521858433, Right.Count = 4, Left.Count = 7
RotateRight @value=0,748661640914465
RotateRight @value=0,955126694382693
RotateLeft @value=0,701743399585478
LastValue = 0,704049674190604, Top.Value = 0,675667521858433, Right.Count = 5, Left.Count = 7
RotateRight @value=0,203250563798123
RotateRight @value=0,531275219531392
RotateRight @value=0,641024029180884
RotateRight @value=0,675667521858433
LastValue = 0,161392807104342, Top.Value = 0,161392807104342, Right.Count = 13, Left.Count = 0
RotateRight @value=0,203250563798123
RotateRight @value=0,531275219531392
RotateRight @value=0,641024029180884
RotateRight @value=0,675667521858433
RotateLeft @value=0,161392807104342
LastValue = 0,167598206162266, Top.Value = 0,167598206162266, Right.Count = 13, Left.Count = 1
LastValue = 0,154996359793002, Top.Value = 0,167598206162266, Right.Count = 13, Left.Count = 2
RotateLeft @value=0,33133987678743
LastValue = 0,431767346538495, Top.Value = 0,167598206162266, Right.Count = 14, Left.Count = 2
RotateRight @value=0,203250563798123
RotateRight @value=0,531275219531392
RotateRight @value=0,641024029180884
RotateRight @value=0,675667521858433
RotateLeft @value=0,167598206162266
LastValue = 0,173774613614089, Top.Value = 0,173774613614089, Right.Count = 14, Left.Count = 3
RotateRight @value=0,830862050331599
LastValue = 0,76559642412029, Top.Value = 0,173774613614089, Right.Count = 15, Left.Count = 3
RotateRight @value=0,76559642412029
RotateLeft @value=0,748661640914465
RotateRight @value=0,955126694382693
RotateLeft @value=0,704049674190604
RotateLeft @value=0,675667521858433
LastValue = 0,75742144871383, Top.Value = 0,173774613614089, Right.Count = 16, Left.Count = 3
LastValue = 0,346844367844446, Top.Value = 0,173774613614089, Right.Count = 17, Left.Count = 3
RotateRight @value=0,830862050331599
LastValue = 0,787565814232251, Top.Value = 0,173774613614089, Right.Count = 18, Left.Count = 3
LastValue = 0,734950566540915, Top.Value = 0,173774613614089, Right.Count = 19, Left.Count = 3
RotateLeft @value=0,20709771951991
RotateRight @value=0,318363281115127
RotateLeft @value=0,203250563798123
RotateRight @value=0,531275219531392
RotateRight @value=0,641024029180884
RotateRight @value=0,675667521858433
RotateRight @value=0,75742144871383
RotateLeft @value=0,173774613614089
LastValue = 0,236504829598826, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 17, Left.Count = 6
RotateLeft @value=0,830862050331599
RotateLeft @value=0,787565814232251
RotateLeft @value=0,76559642412029
RotateRight @value=0,955126694382693
LastValue = 0,895606500048007, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 18, Left.Count = 6
LastValue = 0,599106418713511, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 19, Left.Count = 6
LastValue = 0,8182332901369, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 20, Left.Count = 6
RotateRight @value=0,734950566540915
LastValue = 0,704216948572647, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 21, Left.Count = 6
RotateLeft @value=0,346844367844446
RotateLeft @value=0,33133987678743
RotateRight @value=0,431767346538495
RotateLeft @value=0,318363281115127
RotateRight @value=0,531275219531392
RotateRight @value=0,641024029180884
RotateRight @value=0,675667521858433
RotateRight @value=0,75742144871383
LastValue = 0,379157059536854, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 22, Left.Count = 6
RotateLeft @value=0,431767346538495
LastValue = 0,46832062046431, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 23, Left.Count = 6
RotateRight @value=0,154996359793002
LastValue = 0,0999000217299443, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 23, Left.Count = 7
RotateLeft @value=0,20709771951991
LastValue = 0,229543754006524, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 23, Left.Count = 8
RotateRight @value=0,8182332901369
LastValue = 0,80358425984326, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 24, Left.Count = 8
RotateRight @value=0,318363281115127
LastValue = 0,259324726769386, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 25, Left.Count = 8
RotateRight @value=0,318363281115127
LastValue = 0,307835293145774, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 26, Left.Count = 8
RotateLeft @value=0,431767346538495
LastValue = 0,453910283024381, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 27, Left.Count = 8
RotateLeft @value=0,830862050331599
LastValue = 0,868997387527021, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 28, Left.Count = 8
RotateLeft @value=0,20709771951991
RotateRight @value=0,229543754006524
RotateLeft @value=0,203250563798123
LastValue = 0,218358597354199, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 28, Left.Count = 9
RotateRight @value=0,0999000217299443
RotateRight @value=0,161392807104342
LastValue = 0,0642934488431986, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 28, Left.Count = 10
RotateRight @value=0,154996359793002
RotateLeft @value=0,0999000217299443
LastValue = 0,148295871982489, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 28, Left.Count = 11
LastValue = 0,217621828065078, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 28, Left.Count = 12
RotateRight @value=0,599106418713511
LastValue = 0,553135806020878, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 29, Left.Count = 12
LastValue = 0,982277666210326, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 30, Left.Count = 12
RotateRight @value=0,8182332901369
LastValue = 0,803671114520948, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 31, Left.Count = 12
RotateRight @value=0,203250563798123
RotateRight @value=0,218358597354199
LastValue = 0,19310415405459, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 31, Left.Count = 13
LastValue = 0,0133136604043253, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 31, Left.Count = 14
RotateLeft @value=0,46832062046431
RotateRight @value=0,531275219531392
RotateRight @value=0,641024029180884
RotateRight @value=0,675667521858433
RotateRight @value=0,75742144871383
LastValue = 0,483394719419719, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 32, Left.Count = 14
RotateLeft @value=0,431767346538495
RotateRight @value=0,453910283024381
LastValue = 0,453370328738061, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 33, Left.Count = 14
LastValue = 0,762330518459124, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 34, Left.Count = 14
LastValue = 0,699010426969738, Top.Value = 0,236504829598826, Right.Count = 35, Left.Count = 14

Rotations happen not so much because the tree is unbalanced, but because of the priorities, which are randomly selected. For example we get 4 rotations at the 13th insertion. We have a tree balanced at 5/7 (which is fine), but get to 13/0! It would seem that the use of random priorities deserves further investigation. Anyhow, it is plain to see that the random inserts cause a lot more rotations, than the ordered inserts.